Flying Blind
by Sangelide
Summary: Moon cats are very convenient creatures. What would we ever do without them?
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

The staccato beat of Usagi's pen against her desk echoed through the classroom. The blonde ignored the teacher's glare. Five minutes were left. Her classmates struggled to finish the history test. Usagi didn't care.

Her best friend was absent. Naru never skipped, but Umino hadn't heard anything while the office denied any knowledge of why. Her own mother's wrath kept Usagi in school, but that clock would change soon. That feeling of dread since lat last night lingered in her heart. Something told her Naru was involved.

The bell dinged. Usagi grabbed her bag, stuffed her pen inside and dashed for the door. Calls from students and teachers alike washed over her. Only Naru mattered. Tripping down the stairs stung. By standards watched in shock as Usagi Tsukino quietly picker herself up and raced down the hall. Where were the typical hysterics? Tears pooled in her eyes, but Usagi had no time to indulge. She regularly klutzed out. The pain would only smart for a short time. Usually she didn't care to remember that.

She switched her indoor slippers for shoes in record time. Very few had made it to the shoe lockers to witness the feat. When Usagi crossed the school gates only one person noticed. His cry for her to wait went unacknowledged.

Luck blessed Usagi, for a single moment. Not one accident occurred on her way. The jewerly shop came into view. That lump in her gut rose to her throat. Breathing became difficult; speech impossible.

The entire block was cordoned off by police tape. Officers stood watch. The ones close to Naru's wore boaggy suits Usagi had only seen on TV. No crowds hovered , eager for news. The busy shopping center stood deserted.

Usagi never made it to the police line. Her legs failed to hold her up ten feet away. Slumped against a store front, clear blue eyes stared at her friend's home. Without asking, Usagi knew Naru was gone.

"Miss, are you alright?" An officer crouched down next to her. She glanced at his concerned face before returning to the building. The lump in her throat swelled. Nothing was right.

~Scene Break~

Usagi fell back on the futon. Puffs of air from impact billowed the curtains. The pink fabric settled oddly, bleaving a streak of bright moonlight to fall across her legs. Small dust motes sparkled as they drifted in the stale air.

Exhaustion gave way to a burst of frustration. Bolting upright, Usagi jerked the curtains aside, fumbling to open the window. A wisp of cool night air brushed past her face. Red-rimmed eyes closed at the soothing sensation of the light breeze.

Shifting over, Usagi leaned against the window seal, soaking in the evening light.

The neighboorhood was a quiet one when the Tsukino household was at peace. Tonight was not one of those, but mourning seemed to work as well as peace in regards to the decibel level.

Muffled sounds of an old drama came from the Yamamoto's next door. The old couple would head to bed when it finished. Distant sounds of daily traffic drifted from downtown. The streetlight down the street buzzed in Usagi's ears.

The temporary calm from the fresh air fled in face of proof that the world still turned. It shouldn't, but no one seemed to notice.

Naru was dead.

Terrorist, the police said. A new poison being used in small shops. The investigation would continue until the group causing the random killings were caught.

The middle-age officer that informed Usage gave no hope that it would happen anytime soon. The dark eyes told the horror he had seen in the jewerly shop while her mother's tight grip on her sholder's kept Usagi from running. Somehow, she had already known. Sleep had been difficult in the last year. Usagi would toss and turn, uneasiness clouding her dreams. Late mornings and numerous tardies became the norm, but Wednesday was different.

Upon waking, a lump was lodged in her gut. She managed to convince herself it was dread from another detention.

Naru had been missing. Don't worry. She probably stayed up late helping in the store. By third period, that excuse didn't work. She remembered her mad dash to the shopping center, completely forgetting her detention.

Somehow, she had known.

Staring at her friend's home cordoned off by bright police tape, Usagi's gut twisted. Umino caught up and talked to an officer positioned to wave off by standers. Usagi was still frozen when her mother arrived from Umino's call at a nearby shop.

The paramedics were understanding, helping the teenaged girl in shock. By the time her father arrived to take them home, the Tsukino's knew as much as could be released to the public. The funeral was held the next day by a distant relative of Naru's Mother. The thin woman had not been able to prepare the ceremony herself.

Usagi cried. Crying was not an unusual state of being for the blonde girl, but this time wasn't a high pitched wail or crocodile tears. Silent sobs had shook her shoulders. Salty tears tracked down her cheeks. The funeral finished, but the grief stayed strong in her heart. It felt like a dream. A horrible dream. A nightmare.

Why? Why Naru? That fateful day had no hint at the coming darkness. The red-haired girl had dragged her out shopping to cheer her up after the blonde failed her math test. When they arrived at her friend's house, a huge sale had attracted a lot of customers. The two best friends had traded guesses on what happened to the jewelry store owner to make her act so flighty.

Usagi could still see her friend's cheerful grin as they waved farewell.

Now, three days since her world was shattered and Usagi could only think of her friend. Naru was a good person; kind, friendly, always willing to cheer someone up. They had been friends since grade school. While the blonde had started klutzing out the more she grew, Naru had shown grace and poise. The red-head had never been one for sports while Usagi had been rather active in anything short of an official club. When Usagi quit doing any kind of physically active events at the beginning of junior high (due to too many injuries), their friendship had blossomed. The two girls knew anything and everything about each other.

This was their last year of junior high. The semester had barely begun. They planned to go to the same high school. Naru's future plans of finding a cute guy to marry and running the jewelry store were now gone. Her friend would never find her one true love, never gossip about the latest news or give Usagi that heart warming smile. No mater what she did in life, the blonde had always been able to count on Naru to give her support.

Running a hand across her face, the teen sat up in her bed. Moonlight shone down on her from the open window. The night sky had always calmed her, but she didn't feel the usual peace the moon gave her. A deep ache had lodged in her chest and Usagi didn't think it would leave. There was a feeling that she should have been able to help, that if she had only done _something_ Naru would still be alive.

Sighing, she crossed the room and turned on the radio. She was going to school tomorrow. Maybe the music would help her sleep. Several songs went by and the girl allowed them to drown out her thoughts. Sleep was knocking at the edge of her mind when a midnight talk show turned on. A heartfelt love letter was read, signed 'lovely Haruno.' A weak grin escaped Usagi as she thought of her homeroom teacher.

Naru would get a kick out of it if it turned out to be true. The two girls would congratulate their teacher and then challenge each other to write their own letters. Whoever's entry was read on the air first would win a free sundae at the arcade. Silent tears continued to fall as Usagi let the happy dream engulf her.

Ikuko checked on her a few minutes later. She turned off the radio and tucked her daughter in. Gently wiping the tear tracks away, the dark haired woman wondered if her sunshine would make it through this. A last glance at the sleeping girl revealed a quite smile gracing the blonde's face. Somehow, the mother felt everything would turn out right. Usagi had more strength than anyone knew.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Wake-up late. Rush through getting ready. Grab some toast and her lunch in a race against the clock. The routine was so normal it hurt. As Usagi dashed down the street, a lump formed in her throat. Naru wouldn't be there to greet her when she made it to school.

Sad thoughts were halted along with her run when she slammed into an immovable object. "If it isn't the meatball head. And here I thought you had finally broken the late habit."

Dread made her stomach roll as she looked up to see the jerk sprawled out on the sidewalk in front of her. Weariness that had nothing to do with physical fitness added to her dread. Standing up she gave a polite bow with a murmured apology before carefully side stepping past the man. A firm hand caught her arm. She didn't look back.

"Hey. Are you okay?" The low voice was filled with concern. How different from the usual annoyance and sarcasm she usually got from him. Glancing up she tried to smile, but it came out weak. The hand loosened in surprise and she took the opportunity to shrug out of his hold and resume her race for school.

Sliding into the classroom, she crashed into the left out mop and broom from the morning cleaning duties. Grumbling at the newest annoyance, she stood and brushed herself off. The silence was unnerving. The entire class was staring at her. A nervous chuckle helped steady her queasy stomach as she walked to her seat. The late bell rang but Miss Haruna hadn't arrived yet. Desperately trying to ignore the empty desk next to her, she tried to see who else was here today. Sad faces gazed back at her.

"What?" she asked the room in general. Most students turned away, but a few continued to watch her.

"Are you okay, Usagi?" Umino leaned forward in his seat behind the empty desk she refused to acknowledge. The thick glasses made it easier to look at than the pity filled eyes that shown from the rest of her classmates.

Her smile worked this time. It wasn't the usual cheerful grin or sneaky smirk. It was a slow gentle smile that lit the hearts of those that witnessed it. "I'll be okay Umino. Thanks for asking." The boy slumped in relief, but the twitching right hand concerned her. It always did that when he was upset. "Are you okay?"

Startled, it took a moment to process the question. He laughed and waved off her concern. "I'm fine. Just fine." He titled his head. "If you want I can give you the latest news during lunch. There's not much, but I know you like to keep up."

Accepting the lie along with the offer, she faced the front as the classroom door slid open. Alarmed, Usagi watched her homeroom teacher stagger across the room to the lecture podium. Teaching supplies fell haphazardly on the table top.

"Sorry… I'm late…" Miss Haruna slurred, leaning on the podium. Was she drunk? "Let's see… Roll." Breathing deeply, the woman rummaged through her papers for the class list. By the time she found it, the podium was the only thing holding her up. "Abure, Tatsuya," she called.

"Present." It took a minute for the teacher to mark the answer. Usagi doubted it was the right one, or even in the right place.

"Akimi, Koneko." The second attempt ended when Miss Haruna slipped and toppled to the floor. She didn't get up.

The class representative was the first to reach their teacher. As the girl checked on the woman, Tanaka ran for the nurse. Usagi pushed her way to the front just in time to watch Hikari collapse on top of their teacher in the middle of checking her pulse.

The students backed away from the two. Was it catching? That unidentifiable feeling that she was supposed to do something moved Usagi. Stepping forward, she checked the class rep. "She's okay. Sleeping, I think." Even Miss Haruna was snoring lightly. Several students stepped forward to help move the two unconscious females into comfortable positions.

As Usagi straightened her teacher's jacket, a lilac broach caught her attention. When she brushed her hand over it, something insider her twitched. It seemed crazy, but the delicate flower felt wrong. The nurse arrived and ordered everyone to stand back. On instinct, the blonde unpinned the broach and pocketed the accessory as she stood.

Guilt at doing so came as soon as she returned to her seat. Her pocket felt warm the entire morning, long after the paramedics had taken the homeroom teacher away. They said she had worked herself into exhaustion. Hikari woke up only a few minutes after the nurse arrived. The situation had been too much and the class rep had fainted. Math was declared a free period and school went on as usual.

Umino kept her entertained during lunch. Everything from the latest couples to poor Megumi in class three who had been bullied by Samaru's group yesterday at lunch. Minor robberies in the neighborhood and the latest decision from the mayor served for boring, but needed distractions. The entire time Usagi felt a second heart beat against her thigh. It had to be her active imagination along with leftover guilt at taking the thing in the first place. When it stopped around noon she was grateful.

The day had tired her out far more than she thought. Paying attention took all her concentration and reminders of Naru kept appearing out of nowhere. Her first act arriving home was taking a nap.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Mamoru watched the blonde girl run off in shock. The meatball head was not supposed to look like that.

The first time she had knocked him off his feet in the morning, he had been annoyed. The insistent apologies had just frustrated him further. They had never met before, but watching her bow to him struck him as wrong. A cutting remark escaped before he could catch it. Regret had shoved annoyance aside. He was Mamoru Chiba: valedictorian of his high school, rising university student, valued volunteer at the district hospital and all around nice guy. Biting remarks were not allowed.

When the blonde spitfire stopped her apologizing and insulted him back he was more than surprised. Girls usually turned sappy and pathetic around him. Even Andrew's little sister had never insulted him. The first insult war had left him surprisingly happy as he watched her run for school. When she bounced off him the second day the routine repeated. A true smile followed him around that day instead of a forced polite one. Somehow three minutes a morning trading childish barbs allowed him to relieve his built up stress and relax. He couldn't remember the last time he acted so childish as when he was with the meatball head.

Less than three weeks of the humorous encounters and the blonde disappeared. Three days and he never caught a glimpse of her running for school. Giving up, he decided she had finally adjusted to a new school schedule. He'd have to do without their morning spars. After all, no one could be late everyday, right?

Completely unprepared he found himself crashing to the ground again this morning. He kept the opening remark rather mild. He was too disgustingly grateful to see her again to be truly caustic. Maybe she had been ill?

Her silent bow of apology left him gaping. Where was the yelling, the insults, the burning fire in her eyes as she argued against the injustice in the world for allowing jerks like him to live? Catching her hand stopped the girl's retreat, but he had no idea what to say. Instinctively, he asked is she was okay and got _that_.

That face. It didn't belong.

His meatball head was filled with more energy than she knew what to do with. He could see it even as she sped down the sidewalk each morning. Then he'd step into her path and watch the emotions run across her face. She would go from embarrassed to righteous fury in a blink of an eye. Just a few weeks and he could tell she was meant to be one of those people that made the world brighter. Even for snobbish jerks like him.

But that face. And her eyes. The blue eyes that glowed with the passion of the moment had been dull with grief. That tired sorrowful smile broke something in him. He wished she had never run into him that morning and that she had stayed a little longer at the same time. The world as he knew it had shattered and he didn't know why.

Walking to the arcade and ordering his coffee was done on autopilot as he tried to solve this new puzzle. Why did it matter so much? The morning wars had been enjoyable, but he hadn't been devastated when the girl stopped running into him. Life went on as usual. But he couldn't get that face out of his mind.

"I don't even know her name," he mumbled.

"Whose name?" Startled, Mamoru looked up at his friend across the bar. "Hey, you doing alright?"

"Of course," he replied. "Why?"

Andrew gestured at the table top. "You've barely touched your coffee, never glanced at the newspaper and all I got was a distracted 'good morning.'" Mamoru looked at his paper in surprise. "So what's wrong?"

Mamoru shook his head. The meatball head wasn't his problem. "Nothing."

"No, no. I'm not buying that." The sandy-blonde man stood across the bar. "It's a girl right? And you don't know her name, right?" With a wide grin his friend leaned back with a theatrical swoon. "Oh to see the day the untouchable Mamoru was struck down. A miracle has come!"

Using the folded newspaper, the dark haired man swatted his friend. "It's not like that," he growled.

"Oh, so it is a girl!" Gleeful, Andrew bent over, invading Mamoru's personal space. "So, what's she like? Would I know her?"

"It's no like that idiot," Mamoru sighed. "She's still in school and I don't have a crush on her." His glare shut Andrew's mouth before another stupid comment could be made. "I don't know her, but she's run me over nearly every morning since the new school year started. The last few days have been accident free, but this morning she was back again." Why was he explaining?  
The arcade manager caught his friend irritated tone. "Why don't you take a different route? Or have you tried that and this is one of those scary stalker fan girls?"

"No. She's not a fan girl." The blonde would be horrified at the suggestion. Chuckling he shook his head. "I'm not upset at the run-ins. The girl's just a klutz."

"So what's the problem?" His best friend sounded as confused as Mamoru felt.

"We usually trade insults." He smirked at Andrew's surprised squeak. "She crashed into me on a bad day and when I snapped she snapped back," he explained. The man nodded sagely. If anyone knew of Mamoru's hidden temper, the sandy-blonde did.

"So are you falling for her?" Andrew teased.

"No! Could you stop the teasing for a bit?" When his friend backed off he continued. "We usually insult each other for a few minutes before she runs off to school. This morning was different. She doesn't show for three days and then crashes into me this morning, bows and walks by without saying a word."

"Maybe she's playing hard to get." The man jumped at Mamoru's glare. "Okay, okay. I'll be good. Calm down."

"She's not a fan girl Andrew. The meatball head would laugh in your face if you suggested it to her."

"Meatball head?"

He nodded. "That's what I call her. I don't know her name, remember?"

"Isn't that a bit rude?" Andrew questioned.

Mamoru waved it off. "Don't worry. My name is the insensible jerk."

The manger folded over in laughter. "You sound like your proud of the title," he managed through deep breaths. The college student just continued to smirk as his friend calmed down. "So, you're upset she didn't want to play this morning?" Andrew guessed.

"No. I caught her before she walked away and asked if she was okay…" he trailed off in memory. Another stab of pain hit his chest at the image of her face.

"And?" his friend prompted.

"She just smiled…"

"Smiled? Isn't that a good thing?"

"No," Mamoru disagreed. "It wasn't a good smile. It was a smile you give when the world's gone wrong and nothing feels right, but you'll keep going because you have to."

Andrew whistled. "All that from a smile." Mamoru just nodded and the two let the background noise of the arcade wash over them. "So… what are you going to do?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" The manger sounded outraged. "You tell me all about this girl and how she must be in pain and you're going to do nothing?"

He sighed. "What do you expect? I barely know her. All I've done is insult her when I do see her. I don't know anything about the meatball head."

"But you know enough to tell she was heartbroken with a single glance," Andrew argued.

"She wears her heart on her sleeve. Anyone could see it."

"I know you Mamoru. It has to be bad if you're this worried. You'll be eaten from the inside out if you don't do something."

"And just what would that be?" The dark-haired man dared his friend for an answer.

"Well… first we need to know who she is so we can find out the problem…" Andrew started. The man had a mission and there would be no stopping him. Mamoru set his head on the bar as the manger thought. "What does she look like? If she's in a local high school I might have seen her."

"Blonde long hair styled in two buns on either side of her head that taper off into ponytails. Can't really miss it." With his head covered by his arms he missed the manager's shock.

"Umm… she wouldn't be in a sailor school uniform, would she?"

Looking up in surprise, he noticed Andrew's worried face. "That's right."

"About this high?" he held up a hand at mid chest.

"That's her," the college student answered.

"Bright blue eyes and a voice that could break glass?" Mamoru didn't like the bit lip of regret on his friend.

"You know her?" A resigned nod from his friend added to his growing panic. "Know her as in seen 'her around the arcade' know her, or know her as in 'I know what's wrong' know her?"

"The second one," Andrew sighed. "You have bad luck my friend."

"Why? What's wrong?" The panic was illogical. Mamoru wanted it gone. What happened to his simple pre-planned life? Andrew set down his cleaning towel and walked around the counter. Each action made the dark-haired man more upset. "Just spit it out Andrew."

Sitting next to his friend, the arcade manager apologized. "Sorry. It's just… I've known Usagi for years."

"Usagi. That's her name?" Andrew nodded. "It fits her. So what's wrong?" Mamoru repeated.

He watched his friend visibly steal himself. "Usagi was best friends with a girl named Naru. They've come in and played in the arcade at least once a week since they were in grade school. Usagi's actually in her last year of junior high, by the way."

"Good to know." He wished the man would just get to it.

"You know about those terrorist that use the nerve gas?"

"Of course. They've only been the biggest threat in the last six months than anything else. Our city is crawling with national and foreign investigators. We get them all the time at the hospital. What does that have to do with meatball head?"

"Think about it. What happened three days ago?" Realization dawned on the college student. He couldn't mean that. "Naru was the daughter of the jewelry shop's owner."

"So her friend died?" Andrew nodded. "That's it?" Wrong question.

"That's it? That's _it_? Mamoru, you of all people should know what it's like to loose people important to you." He winced at Andrew's accusation, but the sandy-blonde wasn't finished. "Usagi is the sweetest girl you will ever meet. She whines a bit and klutzes out a lot, but she has the biggest heart of gold you'll ever find. It doesn't matter who it is, she can cheer up anyone. She's one of those rare people you meet and can never forget. Even you, knowing her for a few weeks, care about her. And you ask 'that's it?'"

His friend gave him no time correct his mistake. "I went to Naru's funeral. Usagi was like a lifeless doll. I never expected her to smile, but she didn't whine or complain or do anything! She just sat there and cried. The entire time. Do you know what it takes to get that girl to sit still?" Mamoru listened to his friend rant. This must have been bothering him for a while. Why hadn't he heard about it until now?

"I was upset when I heard about Naru, but seeing Usagi like that is just wrong. I had no idea how to cheer her. That's her job. I make sure she gets the occasional free ice cream or video game as thanks; make sure she knows she's appreciated. But now… you probably saw right into her heart. Naru was her lifeline. They did everything together. Even her family didn't know as much about Usagi as Naru did."

"Her mother makes sure she eats and does her homework. Her dad keeps the boys from getting too close. Her little brother makes sure she gets her daily amount of harassment. They don't know what her future plans or secret dreams are. Naru would. They can't guess how she thinks or why she acts the way she does. Naru could. Without Naru, Usagi probably feels like her life's been pulled out from underneath her."

Mamoru patted Andrews back as he ran down. A few shuddering breaths told him just how close the man came to breaking down. Once his friend was back in control he spoke. "I didn't mean to say it incredulously. I only wanted to know if there was more." He watched his friend nod in acceptance. "You're giving Usagi too little credit. Sure, I was worried, but there was a reason I could plan to do nothing." Hope blossomed in Andrew's eyes. Why hadn't he noticed the pain there before?

"That face was wrong, I agree. Meatball head wasn't meant to look like that. But you forget. She got up this morning, and was dashing to school. When she crashed into me, we both fell down, but she didn't break down. She stood up and walked on." He let that sink in before continuing. "I didn't know what was wrong, but even with it being as bad as all that, she'll be fine. Maybe not the same, but she's hurt, not broken." Andrew didn't look convinced. "You said it didn't you? I, of all people, should know what it's like."

He nearly laughed at the red flush that took over his friend's face. Accepting the apologies until he had to smack his friend again, Mamoru enjoyed the return to friendly banter. Usagi's sad smile stayed in the back of his mind while he made sure the arcade manager was feeling better. As he left the shop to attend his classes, he tried to convince himself as well as he had Andrew. Why was that meatball head causing him so much pain?

Author's Note: The story kind of wrote itself so I don't know if I'll continue this one or not. Still here for someone to enjoy. Even if they are annoying sometimes, there is a reason Moon Cats were there.


End file.
